William g



` Imam STATES WILLIAM G. ABEL, `on TITUsvILLE,

HALE TO JAMES R. BARER, OF SAME PLACE.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- BALL AND EXPANSION `PIPEV CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofiLetters Patent `No. 290,196, dated December 18, 131.3. Y

Application filed May 4, 1883. (No model.) v I To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. ABEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Titusville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Ball and Expansion Pipe Connection, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates, more particularly, to that class ofjoints or pipe-connections-as in connecting steam, air, or water pipes between two railroad-cars-where the two pipes to be connected are constantly changing their relative positions, .both laterally and longitudinally, my object being to construct a cheap, durable, simple, and compact joint. This I accomplish by the mechanism illustrated-in the accompanying drawing, representing a longitudinal section of my invention. v

A and B are the two pipes the ends of which it is desired to connect in the manner mentioned.

C is a sliding or expansion tube attached to ,the pipe B.

D is a segment of a spherical shell, having the hollow neck E, the inside of which is of a greater diameter than the outside of the expansion-tube C. The shell D is open atthe opposite side from the neck E, of anv equal or somewhat greater diameter than the diameter of the neck E. A

F is an internal collar inside the neck E, at-

- tached to the neck, and made to fit closely around the expansion-tube C.

G is a packing -gland itting loosely around the expansiontube C, and very nearly lling the cylindrical space between the exterior of the expansion-tube C and the interior of the neck E, leaving a space, H, between the end of the gland G and the collar E, for packing the joint around the tube C. .t

I is a stufng-nut, engaging with an exterior thread on the neck E, and acting on the gland G, for compressing the packing in the space H.

K is a collar on the extreme end ofthe expansion-tube C, which, as the tube is drawn out, engages with the collar F, and prevents the tube from being entirely drawn from the neck E. The collar K is not screwed onto the tube C but is held in place by a small lip on the end of the tube sufiicient to resist any ordi- 'nary pressure; but when any extraordinary strain is `brought upon the joint. as in thek breaking of the connection between two rail- Vroadcars, the collar K is drawn from the tube and the tube withdrawn entirely from the neck E. This is done to prevent any fracture in such an event to any other portion of the joint. i

L is a collar secured around the tube C,

which engages with the stufngnut I, and prevents the tube from sliding into the neck and joint farther than may be desired.

To the ,pipe A, l' attach the bushing M, the inner part of which, beyond the end of the pipe A, ismade spherically concave, of a dithe spherical shell D, and extending so as to inclose the shell D nearly to the central point of the sphere, or nearly opposite the center of the sphere, of which D is a portion of lthe shell. Beyond the central point of the sphere I place the packing ring or gland, N, the inner surface ing a collar, R, engaging with a recess in the gland-ring N, for the purpose of holding the gland-ring in place and drawing it up, compressing the packing in the space O.

The operation of the joint is simple and ob- -vious. I The shell D, connected to the pipe B in the manner described, forming the ball, and i the bushing M, gland-ring N, and stuffing-nut P, attached to the pipe A, forming the socket, allows afree swing of one pipe upon the other in any direction of nearly or quite one-sixth of a circle Without disengaging any portion of the shell D from the incasing-bushing-M or offering any obstruction to the now of iluid through the joint from the pipe B to the pipe A, or vice versa, the packing in the space O preventing any escape of fluid around the the neck E,as described, allows of a longitudinal expansion or contraction at the same time.

shell D. The expansion-tube C, sliding inside IOC) 65 amete-r' equal to that at the outer surface of f By connecting two joints constructed in the manner described, and with :L joint of pipe of greater or less length, as may be desired, between then), any motion, :is the rocking of one railroad-cnr upon another, can be successfully overcome.

I claim ns my inventionl. In n bell und expnnsion pipe connection, the combination, with the bushing hzwing` its interior conc'nved, the glnndering, and the stnfing-ring which secures them together, the said bushing; and ring having n 1 nckingspnee between them, of the spherical shell having nn exteiiorly-screW-thrended neel; provided with an inner cllnr, the gland-ring littng; therein,

.the stuffing-nut screwed thereon, and the ex- 

